1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a cover attached thereto which receives a suction force from a vacuum nozzle for mounting the connector onto a printed circuit board wherein the cover can be used with connectors of varying length.
2. The Prior Art
As the trend of the computer industry continues toward miniaturization, electrical connector terminal density increases and unoccupied space on the connector decreases which results in complications when accurately aligning the terminals with corresponding traces on a printed circuit board (PCB). If the improperly positioned terminals are soldered to the corresponding traces, a poor electrical connection between the connector and the PCB will result.
In order to ensure accurate alignment of the connector on the PCB, an adhesive film, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,645,278 and 5,383,797 and Taiwan Pat. Nos. 83207484 and 85202861, is attached to the connector before the connector is positioned on the PCB whereby the terminals of the PCB can be aligned with the corresponding traces of the PCB. The connector is then fixedly soldered to the connector and the adhesive film is removed therefrom. This method requires manual attachment of the film, therefore, the lack of automation complicates assembly and increases manufacturing costs. In addition, the adhesive film is neither reusable nor recyclable which adversely affects the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,977 discloses a cover for attaching to a mating surface of the connector whereby a vacuum nozzle can be attached thereto for aligning the connector onto a PCB before soldering thereto. However, the cover does not fully conceal a mating surface of the connector. Thus, foreign particles such as dust may enter the connector during transportation or storage and hinder the performance thereof.
A cover which fully conceals the mating surface of a connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,396,245 and 5,026,295. However, connectors of varying length each require a suitably sized cover which increases the cost of the cover molding process and complicates parts management.
Therefore, an improved connector cover is required which can overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.